taking apart AC-DC transformers from small power supplies?

[ilyaz]

I have a whole bunch of old power supplies from various electronics that's long gone. I cut off all the cables that I guess would go as "insulated cable", and then I tried getting copper wire out of the AC-DC converter transformers. Just taking apart the plastic casing took forever, then I realized I had no idea how to get the copper wire out of the transformers themselves. Has anyone tried this and succeeded? The idea would be to take apart it fast otherwise the relatively small amount of copper will not make the whole effort worthwhile. Thanks.

 

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[pygmy]

My dealer treats transformers as electric motors. i.e take it in as is and get about $1/lb.
The high voltage transformers in microwave ovens is my favourite as it weighs about 10lbs.

As an aside you mentioned removing plastic casings taking forever.
Just as with a vacuum cleaner, monitor or fan, use a large sledge hammer. Don't waste time unscrewing.

 

[BCR]

$1/lb for electric motors?? Wow all of the yards in my area only pay .20cents/lb.

That has been the price up here for a couple of years now.

 

[detectorman71]

burn them in a hot fire then take a side grinder with cutting wheel and cut one side of the copper windings then pull the rest of the copper out of the other side

 

[TURNMASTER]

Burning plastic is toxic.

Jeff

 

[cdltpx]

I have to say one decent wack with a hammer should break the plastic housing giving you acess to the metal components in the device. After getting rid of the plastic you might want to seperate the various metal types if you so desire but I suspect you will encounter considerable amount of resin. If you are the type to stock pile things you may wish to remove the copper since I don't see our economy turning into anything other than a third world nation for many years. China and Russia have ceased bilatteral trading of USD that alone should have sent gold and silver prices skyward since the dollar is now openly declared more worthless now that these super nations have made this declaration. Expect all metals to increase in value as paper currency is about to be worth less than wallpaper. Sadly we should experience hyperinflation now would be the time to purchase some stocks of non perishable food.

 

[theirratonalist]

I have to say one decent wack with a hammer should break the plastic housing giving you acess to the metal components in the device. After getting rid of the plastic you might want to seperate the various metal types if you so desire but I suspect you will encounter considerable amount of resin. If you are the type to stock pile things you may wish to remove the copper since I don't see our economy turning into anything other than a third world nation for many years. China and Russia have ceased bilatteral trading of USD that alone should have sent gold and silver prices skyward since the dollar is now openly declared more worthless now that these super nations have made this declaration. Expect all metals to increase in value as paper currency is about to be worth less than wallpaper. Sadly we should experience hyperinflation now would be the time to purchase some stocks of non perishable food.

Thats not the main reason I hold onto copper breakage. It takes so long to break the stuff apart. I find, if you simply gather a lot of it together in one giant hoard, you can sell it to the scrap yards for more money. The first thing a scrap yard will ask when you call to find the current scrap prices is, "Well how much scrap do you have?" Thats because if you have been saving 1500 pounds worth of transformers, which i'm trying to do right now right now, they will pay you .10 cents more per pound just to have the business. At least the family owned yard near me would.